Game-counter



(No Model.)

A.P-.GOLE.

GAME COUNTER.

No. 592,047. Patented 001;. 19, 1897.

witnesses: fnz/eno 7".-

Q6150 rne ys.

UNTTED STATES PATENT rrrcn.

ALLEN P. COLE, OF CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS.

GAME-COUNTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 592,047, dated October 19, 1897.

Application filed February 8, 1897. Serial No. 622,476. (No model.)

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALLEN P. COLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chelsea, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game-Registers and Trump-Indicators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The form in which I prefer to embody my invention is that shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a face view of the register. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a view of the trump-disk, on which the suits are marked. Fig. 4 is a view of one of the disks on which the numerals are marked.

Fig. 5 shows the blank out of which the body with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated the best embodiment thereof which I have yet contrived, after which the distinguishing characteristics thereof will be particularly pointed out and distinctly defined in the claims at the close of this specification.

My game-register and trump-indicator has the body thereof made of one blank 10, (shown in Fig. 5,) in which there are a semicircular slot 91, five circular apertures 1 2 3 at 5, and

four recesses 6 7 8 9, the general form of this blank before itis bentinto shape being shown in Fig. 5, and the points of fieXure of certain portions thereof bein g indicated by dash-lines. The said blank is formed with the substantially semiannular strip 11 at the top thereof, and this strip has extending therefrom the foot-pieces 12 13. The said strip is folded backward through an arc of about one hundred and thirty-five degrees, as shown in Fig. 2, and the ends 14 15 of the foot-pieces are folded over double, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to form smooth surfaces as feet to rest upon the table. The blank has projecting from the lower edge thereof at the middle the strip 16, which latter is folded back, as in Fig. 2, until it comes opposite the slot 17 on the upper piece 11, through which slot its face end is inserted, as shown in Fig. 2, and secured by bending over. The form of body or frame thereby produced resembles that of an easel. The tongues 18, 19, 20, and 21, which are formed at the lower edge of the blank, they alternating with the recesses at the bottom of the main part of the blank,are likewise folded over backward to provide smooth surfaces to rest on the table.

The main body 22 of the blank, which I herein term the plate, is oblong, with a semicircular upwardly-extending projection or tongue 23 at the middle of the upper edge thereof,,or, to put it another way, is formed with two lateral wings, one on each side or end. In the semicircular projection 23 is the circular opening 1,tl1rough which are exposed the symbols which indicate the proper suits in the course of the play, and below this are the four smaller circular openings 2 3 4t 5, in which are exposed the numeral-disks which indicate the score, or the score and the number of games.

The lower middle strip 16 of the blank may be omitted, if desired, without seriously weakening the indicator, if it is desired to economize in the material of which the blank is formed.

On the back of the plate 22 are pivotally mounted four disks, each like that shown in Fig. 4:, (28 29 3O 31,) provided with numerals, and also with any conventional sign or a blank space to appear at the corresponding opening in the plate when a given disk is not being used for indicating or registering; and one trump-disk 32, provided with a spade, heart, club, and diamond on its face, as shown in Fig. 3. The said disk 32 has at its periphery four projections 33 34. 35 36, each as successively brought around by the rotation of the disk, so that the projection, as 3-1, which for the time being is uppermost, as shown, Fig. 1, will be accessible to the finger of the player and may be utilized in turning the disk. The arc-shape edge eX- tends through a semicircle, and from itsends the edge of the plate runs outward each way, forming the wings above referred to. lVhen, therefore, the trump-disk is in the position shown in Fig. 1, with one of its projections vertical and the suit opposite that projection visible in the upper opening of the plate, the projections opposite the adjacent suits will be just below the angles formed between the tongue 23 and the wings of the plate \V hen it is desired to turn from one suit to another, the player places his finger on the projection at the top and quickly rotates the disk either one way or the other. At the instant when the next suit fully appears in the opening of the plate, and when the projection opposite that suit is consequently vertical, the projection on which the finger has been resting to rotate the disk will havejust disappeared behind one of the wings of the plate. The said wing, in fact, will have served to throw elf the pressure of the finger, and the trump-disk will come to rest with the next suit exactly in the openingl. I thus effect an automatic arrest of the disk at each quarter-turn, without the use of any catches or ratchet mechanism likely to get out of order.

In the beginning of a deal-at whist, for instance lhere is very little time between the turning up of the trump-card and the beginning of play, and this time will naturally be occupied by the players in sorting their hands. It therefore is of considerable moment that the operation necessary to cause a trump-indicator to show the correct trump should be as quick and as certain as possible. There should not be the chance of turning the indicator beyond the trump and of having to devote time and attention to turning it back, so that it will appear properlyin the opening.

In regard to the nu meral-disks I am aware that it has been common to employ such in connection with openings through which the numerals thereof appear, and in which may be exposed by their rotation any numeral or number desired. To that extent, therefore,

there is nothing new in my use of numeraldisks; but owing to the fact that the periphery of my disks is exposed only at the four lower recesses of the plate, and that the folded-over projections or legs between these recesses rest upon the table, the exposed portions of the disks are entirely shielded from any possibility of being accidentally turned throughout the progress of the game. It will be appreciated that a very slight turn of the hundreds-disk, for instance, would make a rather material difference in the score, and as the indicator is likely to be shifted about upon the table a good inanytimes during the game, such a turn might readily occur "with the ordinary indicator. Through all these shiftings the exposed periphery of the numeral-disks in my indicator are unlikely to brush against, or come in contact with, any object which could disarrange them.

hat I claim is 1. In a game counter and register, an indi eating-disk having symbols thereon and having projections corresponding with the said symbols, and a plate on which said disk is pivoted and which has an edge beyond one portion of which said projections project to enable the finger to rotate said disk, and behind another portion of which said projections pass during such rotation to throw oil the finger and thereby arrest the disk at a predetermined point.

2, In a game-register, a plate supported at an angle to the table-surface, and having recesses in the edge resting on the table, and symbol-bearing disks pivoted to the plate so that a portion of their periphery projects into said recesses for rotating them by hand.

A blank for forming the body or frame of a game-register, comprising an oblong portion with apertures for the display of symbols and with recesses in its lower edge, an upper portion projecting from the middle of the oblong portion with an aperture therein for the display of a symbol, and a semiannular portion inclosing said upper portion and designed for ilexure at the points on each side of said upper portion where the said seiniannular portion unites with said oblong portion.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALLEN l C(llllil. Witnesses:

Cults. F. RANDALL, EDITH J. Annnnson. 

